1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink set for inkjet recording, an image recording method and an image recording apparatus, and more particularly, to an ink set for inkjet recording including a water-based ink and a treatment liquid, an image recording method and an image recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An offset printing method is known as a method whereby images of high quality can be printed onto paper of any type. There have been increasing requirements for on-demand printing which has the advantages of the offset printing method. Several methods, such as an inkjet method, have been proposed as on-demand printing methods.
In general, an inkjet recording system uses an inkjet head, in which a plurality of nozzles are formed, and forms an image on a recording medium by ejecting and depositing ink droplets from the nozzles onto a recording medium; such apparatuses are used widely due to their excellent low-noise operation, low running costs, and their ability to record images of high quality onto recording media of many different types.
Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2007-245616 and 2007-161753 disclose image recording methods which use an ink set for inkjet recording including a treatment liquid and an ink, the main component thereof between a high-boiling-point low-polarity solvent other than water, in order to stabilize ejection, achieve high image quality and suppress curling of the paper.
However, since these inks contain a large amount of high-boiling-point low-polarity solvent, in other words, solvent of low volatility, then when the treatment liquid and the pigment react together to generate an aggregate, the aggregate moves in the solvent remaining on the paper surface, giving rise to dot movement (floating of the coloring material) and thus leading to decline in image quality. Furthermore, if high-boiling-point solvent is left in the printed object, then stickiness occurs in the printed object and problems can arise when the solvent evaporates.